Unintended Rescue
by myguyssamanddean
Summary: Dean saves a woman from her husband, a werewolf.  Set sometime after season 2.  Comments are appreciated.


Dean was on his way back from a hunt. He was tired and driving on isolated roads. Sleep was an ever-present threat until something ran in front of his headlights. He slammed on the breaks, wondering what it had been. It hadn't been exactly human and the moon was full. Werewolf. It had to be.

It was long gone by the time he got out of the car. He hadn't counted on having to be primed to hunt while he drove home. On the way back to the Impala, he saw tracks and decided to follow them to see if he could find where the werewolf had come from. They led him to a house, with the door left open. It was snowing. There was no reason for the door to be open unless there was no one left able to close it.

He had his gun drawn, along with a flashlight. He was silent as he stepped into the home. He scanned the main room which was a living room and kitchen. It was empty. So was the bathroom. There was some blood in the main room leading to the bedroom. He heard a very small sound as he got to the bedroom door.

He stepped inside and scanned the room. There was more blood, an overturned lamp, and the dresser drawers had been gone through. He stepped further in, listening for that sound he'd heard. He walked around to the other side of the bed and saw her. She was huddled in the corner, twisted in bedding, her eyes open, oblivious to his presence. He reached to touch her shoulder and she screamed, trying to climb the wall to get further away from him.

"It's okay. I'm here to help." Dean stared at her eyes and realized they were cloudy. That's when he realized she must be blind.

"I want to bring you out of here. Are you hurt?"

She didn't move or speak. He noticed a big gash on her cheek. The blood from it had soaked her hair.

Dean softly said," I am going to take you with me now. I am going to bring you someplace safe." He reached out for her and she jerked away. Dean just kept repeating himself as he put his leather coat around her, picked her up and carried her to the car. He placed her in the passenger seat and got a better look at her gash. He quickly grabbed a bandage and put it on her cheek. He didn't have far to go, and he wanted to leave before the werewolf decided to return.

She didn't say a word during the drive. Dean kept glancing at her to make sure she was still breathing. Her silence was eerie.

Back at Dean's, which was just a small cabin in the middle of nowhere, he kept talking to her in a quiet voice. She wasn't able to see him, but she could hear him. She didn't fight him, so it was better than when he touched her at first. Her body was shaking as he laid her down on the bed. He talked to her the entire time he was getting a washbasin, washcloth and first aid kit.

Back at her bedside, he took the washcloth and started to wipe her face. He went around the bandage for now, he needed to see if she had any other injuries that required treatment first. He started to remove his jacket from her. She touched his hand and said quietly," No."

"I just need to see where you're hurt," Dean explained. "I'm here to help you."

"Let me keep it," she wrapped her fingers around the jacket. Dean moved his jacket to the side but kept it in her grasp, next to her face. If she couldn't find comfort in seeing, she derived some kind of comfort from the scent and feel of his leather jacket. It was the first contact she had with Dean and it made her feel safe.

Dean grabbed another sheet, covered her with it, got one arm free from the bedding she was wound in, and washed it as he looked for wounds. He methodically checked all her limbs. There were some cuts, nothing like the one on her face. There was significant bruising all over, in different stages of healing. It didn't appear that she had an easy life. He noticed a white ring where her wedding band must have been. He silently cussed about the man who was supposed to be her husband and protect her.

He told her about what he saw and what he was doing as he applied salve to cuts, and a few bandages.

"My name is Dean," he'd just realized that they hadn't exchanged names. "What's yours?"

"Emma," her voice was shaky.

"Do you hurt anywhere?"

"My stomach and back," she chewed on her bottom lip.

"Then I need to take a look," she allowed him to move the sheet and unwrap the rest of her. Her nightgown was shredded in one area and soaked with blood. He reached for the hem of her gown and she drew in a startled breath. " You're cut and I need to see how deep. I'll keep you covered as best I can."

As he moved her gown up, he also moved the sheet up to cover the rest of her. There were three large wounds across her abdomen. It was like a deep claw mark. When he touched the wounds, she jerked and said," Ow!"

"Sorry." He knew he had to ask," Do you know who did this to you?"

"I thought it was---but it couldn't have been---my husband," she was uncomfortable with the question.

"Did he hit you sometimes? You have bruises in various stages of healing."

"Of course not," she started. "Well, he got angry sometimes."

Dean asked her to roll on her side so he could see her back. She had deep, recent bruising across the small of her back. "Did he ever hit you with anything?"

She didn't answer. So, he took it as a yes.

"Well," he covered her back up," I need to make a phone call. I'll be right back to finish with the gash on your face and stomach. Do you need anything right now?"

"No," she buried her face in his jacket.

He left the door open so he could hear her if she needed anything. Then, he dialed Bobby's number.

"I need some answers," Dean started out," and I didn't know who else to call."

"Whatcha need?"

Dean told him about finding Emma, and the werewolf that was possibly her husband, who wasn't too nice to her to begin with.

"I don't know when he turned. She's not saying much," Dean tried explaining. "She's attached to my jacket."

"What?"

"Forgot to tell you, she's blind."

"Well, then that makes sense," Bobby told him. "You brought her someplace safe and she must trust you. All that she can associate with you is your voice or scent. Your jacket gives her something to remind her that she's safe."

"I don't know what to do with her," Dean admitted. "I'm used to picking women up and leaving, not taking care of them. That's Sam's forte."

"I can come down, but I don't know if I'll be able to help. She trusts you. That's it. I don't know how she'd feel about me being there."

"Can you just come anyway? One of us needs to get the werewolf before he comes back for her tonight. I can't leave her alone." Dean realized how in over his head he was and needed Bobby.

"No problem," Bobby replied. "I'll be on the road in about an hour."

Dean walked back in to the bedroom and started talking to Emma softly as soon as she got close. She turned her head toward him. He sat down on the bed and put his hand over hers.

"Did your husband start to act strange all of a sudden? Have you ever seen him like he was tonight?"

"About a month ago," her voice was barely audible.

"Okay, Emma," Dean gave her a couple pills and a glass of water. "I need you to take these so I can stitch you up. When you wake up, it will all be over. My friend, Bobby, will probably be here. Just get some rest."

"I'll try…" Then, she asked, "Is your friend a good man?"

"Yes he is."

"Are you sure?" her voice wavered. "My husband was a good man, too, at one time."

"I'm sure. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you," he promised. He moved his hand to stroke her hair. She closed her eyes and fell asleep.

SNSNSN

Dean was sharpening his knives on the kitchen table when he heard a shriek from the other room. He went running in. Emma was thrashing around in bed, screaming for something or someone to stop.

Dean woke her up, and got her oriented to where she was. She grabbed onto his arm and wouldn't let go.

Dean asked, "Do you want me to stay with you for awhile? Would that help you sleep?"

She nodded.

He put on his jacked and laid down beside her. She hung onto his arm as she drifted back to sleep. As Dean laid there, he was reminded of how he used to watch over Sammy when he had his nightmares. Maybe he'd be okay at this.

SNSNSN

He woke up and her eyes were open, her hands still on his arm. "How did you sleep?" he asked groggily.

"Better than I thought I would," she was more relaxed than before. "I have heard your voice and I know your name, but can I touch your face so I can tell what you look like?"

"Sure," he'd never been asked that before. He closed his eyes as he felt her fingers almost float across his features. She traced his features and ran a hand through his hair.

When Emma moved her hands away, he asked, "So did I pass inspection?"

She smiled. Dean decided that it looked good on her.

SNSNSN

Bobby arrived that morning. Since Emma was still sleepy, they were able to talk in the other room as long as they kept the door open. Bobby had done some thinking on the drive down. It was supposed to be a full moon again tonight. That meant Emma's husband would be hunting--possibly for her.

Dean went back into the bed room and woke Emma up. He asked her to think of all the items she wanted from her house. Dean told her that she would never be going back there. So, whatever she wanted, she had to tell him to put it on the list.

Bobby was going to go to Emma's house and shoot her husband before he turned again. He planned on just burning the body like they'd done in the past. During the small trip, he would grab the items Emma wanted.

Dean really wanted to be the one to put down the man who hurt Emma, but Bobby told him that Emma needed him now. He was the only one she trusted. It would be in her best interest if Dean stayed behind. Emma didn't need to be traumatized anymore than she already was.

Dean begrudgingly agreed, handing over the list and going back to Emma. Bobby said he'd call when he was on his way back.

SNSNSN

Emma startled awake, frantically grabbing for something until she found it--his leather jacket. "Emma," Dean spoke softly," I'm right here." He sat down on the bed.

"Um," Emma started to blush," Could you help me to the ladies room and is there something else I can wear? I just noticed what bad shape my nightgown is in."

"Sure," Dean stood up from the bed. "Which side of you should I stand on? You need to take my arm, right?"

"Either side," she replied. "Is there something else I could put now? Before I go walking around?"

"Yep," Dean felt bad that he hadn't allowed for her modesty before she brought it up. Sammy was better at this kind of thing. Dean was just learning. He grabbed one of his large t-shirts and went back to the bed. Emma was sitting on the side. Dean noticed that she was barefoot, so he grabbed some socks, too.

"Now, we have to be careful of the bandages," he reminded her. If you can just put your arms up, I can have you switched into my shirt in no time. I'm not going to peek, I just don't want you to be pushing your arms around and open something up."

She took a deep breath as she raised her arms," Okay."

There was almost nothing left of the nightgown she'd been in. Dean had been so busy keeping her covered that he hadn't noticed that before. He didn't peek but he got a glance of some more bruises in different stages of healing. It made anger boil up inside him again, like when he saw the others.

SNSNSN

Bobby made sure the cupboards were stocked. Then he turned to Dean," The husband is gone, salted and burned. I'm going home. Call me if you need me."

"Thanks, Bobby."

Bobby just nodded and walked out the door. As Dean heard his car pull away, he felt suddenly all alone.

Emma was quiet and Dean assumed she was asleep. He had started to drift off when Emma asked," When Bobby was at my house, did he see my husband?"

He didn't want to tell her that her husband had turned into a werewolf and Bobby had hunted him and gotten rid of the remains. So, he just said," No. Why?"

"I'm all that's left. I'm all alone."

"No, you're not," Dean's voice was almost a whisper. "You have me."

SNSNSN

Dean awoke to Emma crying in her sleep. He snuggled her closer, made sure she had enough covers and murmured comforting words into her ear. He wiped away her tears and kept whispering to her until he thought she was back to sleep.

Dean was totally unprepared when Emma smacked him one as she started to scream, "NO!" and thrash around. He almost had to tackle her to keep her in bed so she wouldn't fall in unfamiliar surroundings.

"You're safe now," Dean knew she couldn't hear her over her own cries, but he kept his voice level. He repeated himself until she stopped trashing and seemed to hear him. He quickly moved off her body as she woke up and realized it had been a nightmare.

"I'm so sorry," she started to cry again.

"No need to be sorry, you didn't ask for nightmares," Dean wondered if she remembered slugging him but he'd never ask.

"I just want to feel better," her voice was quiet.

"Would you like to get a tour of your new living arrangements?" Dean thought moving and change of topic might help. "I would find you something to use for a cane or you could feel alongside the furniture and walls to find your way."

"It would be a good idea to know where I am." She sounded sure of herself for the first time. "Let's go."

Emma was slow to get up. She took Dean's arm and he led her around the bed room first. She could feel her way around. All the furniture was against the walls-- the bed, nightstand, chair, dresser and desk.

From the doorway to the bed room, to the left was a couch, a couple chairs and a television grouped together. Then came the front door. On the other side of the front door was the table and four chairs. Next came the kitchen--the appliances, cupboards and cabinets all along the wall. There was a doorway to another bed room that had 2 beds, 2 dressers, and small bookcases along with gun cabinets and storage for other weaponry. The last door let to the bathroom. It had a linen cabinet that was free-standing against the wall.

Emma was tired after her tour. She knew it would take time for her to get used to the layout. Dean helped her back to bed and then made her a sandwich. He sat with her while she ate, coaxing her to finish it.

When Emma laid back down. Dean checked her injuries over. The stitches in her face and stomach looked good. Some of the bruising seemed to be getting better. The other small cuts that had scabbed over didn't need bandages anymore. There were still some that did, though.

Dean got her settled in and Emma asked him to stay for awhile. She asked him how he found her.

"I saw something run across the road in my headlights. Then, I noticed that your door was left open in the snow. That's what caused me to come in. I followed a trail of blood to and that let me to you," Dean explained.

"Why would you take me with you, take on the responsibility of an injured woman when you didn't have to?"

"I couldn't leave you there, how you were. I didn't want whatever I'd seen in my headlights to come back and hurt you some more. You needed someone to help you and at that moment I was the only one available."

"I think my husband was in our home right before you came in," Emma informed him. "Did he look okay?"

"I didn't get a good look at him," Dean said.

There was silence.

"You said before that you husband started to change?" Dean was looking for information," that he got mean?"

"Yes, he did," Emma replied. "Something about him didn't feel right."

Dean just took the plunge and decided to tell her about her husband. Well, a nice version anyway. "Your husband wasn't himself because he'd gotten sick. I knew something was wrong when I saw him in my headlights. Bobby went to check on him when he picked up the items for you. Your husband was worse. There is no cure for what he had, and he was suffering. So, Bobby tried to make him more comfortable in his passing. Then, he burned his body, killing the illness so it couldn't spread."

"What was he ill with?" Emma asked.

"In was something in his blood. It is transferred by blood."

"Do you think I could have the same illness?" Emma's brows showed concern.

"No," Dean reassured her. "You don't have any of the signs. Don't worry about it. Just climb back into bed so you can get some rest."

"Will you stay by me?"

"Sure," Dean sat down on the bed and laid down beside her.

"I feel empty," Emma tried to explain. "I had hopes for how our lives would be. They are all gone now. I need to get new hopes and dreams. It feels like so much work to do right now. It is so overwhelming."

"It's not something you need to do right now," Dean ran his fingers through her hair. "Right now you need to rest and heal. When you feel like yourself again, you can think of where you want to go from here."

"I don't want to put you out for too long," she said. "I'll need to find a place of my own."

"Don't worry about it," Dean said. "You're not putting me out, you are keeping me company. I'll help you with whatever you need when you are better. Just think of this as home. I'm not going to be kicking you out into the cold."

"Really?"

"Really. You need to relax." Dean rearranged the covers. Emma settled in and closed her eyes. Dean was surprised by the amount of trust that she had in him. He had no idea how he'd earned her trust, she had no reason to trust him because he was a stranger.

SNSNSN

Emma slowly healed, physically and emotionally. The two of them settled into a routine, Emma was able to move around the cabin independently, and Dean found that her presence lightened his mood. He'd spent so much time at the cabin alone before. Emma made him smile, especially when she smiled herself.

She didn't need the comfort of Dean's leather jacket anymore. The nightmares lessened with Dean sleeping beside her. She thought of him as her knight in shining armor. What she didn't know was that she'd saved him. She'd saved him from a lifetime of loneliness, as only someone who saw right into his heart could do.

While Dean thought he'd rescued her the night he found her, he'd unintentionally rescued himself.


End file.
